Ah, thank you Jedmar. I note the article talks of “blended colours”. I have often wondered what was “Chatenay pink” - the pale pink inner petals or the darker pink reverse.
And thank you too for your illustration of ‘Mme. Abel Chatenay’. The prickles are quite distinctive, and the long bud is interesting. I am not sure if the seemingly shorter buds of Billy’s photos (5 March 2009) relate to the 1985 reference which mentions two versions.
Merriam-Webster defines "Chatenay pink": a light to moderate yellowish pink that is stronger and much redder than seashell pink. I have also added a photo of the page with the colour shown in René Oberthür's book
Found five more colour descriptions by Oberthür of the reverse of the centre petals, of highlights on the interior petals, as well as reverse of the petals and outside petals.
Solitary - or in clusters? From the refs: 1910. rather apt when closely pruned to push up single strong flower shoots in panicles, 1912. in the second growth, bearing a loose panicle of flowers 1936 solitary 1947. borne singly on long stems 1978. because the growers of cut flowers took ‘Mme. Abel Chatenay’ into their hearts
